Much Ado About Nothing

Synopsis

Leonato (Clark Gregg), the governor of Messina, is visited by his friend Don Pedro (Reed Diamond) who is returning from a victorious campaign against his rebellious brother Don John (Sean Maher). Accompanying Don Pedro are two of his officers: Benedick (Alexis Denisof) and Claudio (Fran Kranz). While in Messina, Claudio falls for Leonato's daughter Hero (Jillian Morgese), while Benedick verbally spars with Beatrice (Amy Acker), the governor's niece. The budding love between Claudio and Hero prompts Don Pedro to arrange with Leonato for a marriage. In the days leading up to the ceremony, Don Pedro, with the help of Leonato, Claudio and Hero, attempts to sport with Benedick and Beatrice in an effort to trick the two into falling in love. Meanwhile, the villainous Don John, with the help of his allies Conrade (Riki Lindhome) and Borachio (Spencer Treat Clark), plots against the happy couple, using his own form of trickery to try to destroy the marriage before it begins. A series of comic...

Leonato (Clark Gregg), the governor of Messina, is visited by his friend Don Pedro (Reed Diamond) who is returning from a victorious campaign against his rebellious brother Don John (Sean Maher). Accompanying Don Pedro are two of his officers: Benedick (Alexis Denisof) and Claudio (Fran Kranz). While in Messina, Claudio falls for Leonato's daughter Hero (Jillian Morgese), while Benedick verbally spars with Beatrice (Amy Acker), the governor's niece. The budding love between Claudio and Hero prompts Don Pedro to arrange with Leonato for a marriage. In the days leading up to the ceremony, Don Pedro, with the help of Leonato, Claudio and Hero, attempts to sport with Benedick and Beatrice in an effort to trick the two into falling in love. Meanwhile, the villainous Don John, with the help of his allies Conrade (Riki Lindhome) and Borachio (Spencer Treat Clark), plots against the happy couple, using his own form of trickery to try to destroy the marriage before it begins. A series of comic...

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Movie Reviews

Reviewed by Andrew Heard 10 / 10

Much Ado, Much Ado, Wherefore Art Thou Much Ado?

I have to admit, part of me considered doing this entire review in
Shakespearean English for added effect. It sounded like a good idea at
the time, but there's a reason why Shakespeare is considered by many to
be the greatest wordsmith of all time. He is the most human, human that
there is and perhaps that there ever will be and quite frankly as a
writer I will never measure up. So I figured I would save myself the
incredible embarrassment and do a more traditional review, and I
suspect by the end of this review I will be glad that I did.

Anyone who has read my review of The Avengers knows that I am not a
die-hard Joss Whedon fan. He's not always perfect and what he does may
not always work. However when he does get a chance to do things well
there are very few who can measure up in today's world of film.
Shakespeare on the other hand has no equal when it comes to the written
word (or spoken word, as his plays would most often be performed live
in front of an audience). There's a reason why some of the biggest
actors of note have a Shakespearean theatre background. If you can
master Shakespeare, assuming such a thing is even possible in the first
place, you can master just about anything that the world of art can
throw at you. That doesn't always mean that you'll make the best films
or you'll choose the best parts but at the very least you know what it
is that you're doing when you get one.

To put the words of Shakespeare into the hands of a filmmaker like Joss
Whedon, a man who regularly invites his actor friends over to his house
to act out scenes from The Bard's work, makes the possibilities
endless. Speaking of his house, for those that aren't aware the film
was entirely shot in and around his own house over a 12 day period
during a break from his filming of The Avengers. That more than
anything very much concerned me, how good could a film like that be
given those extreme constraints? It doesn't matter how good you are as
a filmmaker, rushed is rushed and unless you are extremely careful it
can come off that way. In all honesty I was very nervous going into
that theatre, wondering if I was in for another heap of disappointment.

I could NOT have been more wrong. With Joss Whedon at the helm and a
host of actors any semi-fan of his previous work would recognize in a
heartbeat, Shakespeare comes alive in a way that simply has not been
seen since The Bard himself was walking around. There have been many
adaptations of Shakespeare's work in the last 300 years since then, and
even more since the advent of film and television. Few can hold a
candle to the film I just witnessed.

Shakespeare had a subtlety of purpose in his words and a thoughtfulness
with which he moved from comedy to drama to intrigue and deception.
Using The Bard's original words but setting it in a somewhat modern
time with cell phones and the internet, Joss Whedon puts it all right
there on the screen for you to watch, and laugh, and cry at with equal
measure.

Each of the actors involved in this film are so perfectly suited for
the roles which they play that they jump right off the screen at you.
He plays the actors off the long time fans like nobody's business.
Anyone who has seen all or part of his other works will love the fact
that he put the characters in the roles they have in the film and I
suspect the die-hard fans will feel incredibly vindicated in a number
of ways, although because it's Shakespeare you don't have to be a fan
of Joss' work to understand the chemistry between them.

And then, Nathan Fillion happened.

None of these actors are better suited for their roles then Nathan
Fillion as Dogberry. Every moment that man is on screen you can't help
but smile. Every time his character opens his mouth and speaks you're
forced to laugh. No matter how many times Tom Lenk as his partner
Verges threatens to steal the scene from Nathan, and he very nearly
does throughout the film, Nathan slaps him down with another fantastic
moment... metaphorically speaking of course.

The title I used for this review is a reference to a sense of longing
which I feel after having seen this film, much like the character I am
paraphrasing, a longing for the fact that I can't go somewhere and
watch this film right away again. It's been a long time since I have
had that feeling about a Joss Whedon film, or any film for that matter,
and it's great to know what that's like again.

Thank you Joss for a masterpiece of film that as far as I am concerned
should be taught in schools as an introduction to Shakespeare. Once a
year Joss should take some time out of his schedule to adapt one of
Shakespeare's plays and premiere it somewhere (hopefully at TIFF again)
for everyone to see.

It seems only fitting that I leave you with...

Much Ado, Much Ado, Wherefore Art Thou Much Ado? Everywhere and
nowhere... a pox on those who do not see it, a curse on he who speaks
ill of it, may the wrath of Joss Whedon and William Shakespeare be
visited on those that do both.

You can read my other reviews I have done at:
http://andrew-heard.blogspot.ca/

Reviewed by l_rawjalaurence 8 / 10

Entertaining Rendering of Shakespeare's Play

Transposed to an American setting, Joss Whedon's MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING proves a highly entertaining romance. The two central characters Beatrice (Amy Acker) and Benedick (Alexis Denisof) begin the film as deadly enemies, but it's clear they're attracted to one another. They are brought together due to a combination of clear-headed thinking and clever machinations by their friends. Denisof is very good with his body; in one sequence he stretches and preens himself in front of Beatrice, much to her disgust. Acker has an equally funny scene where she tries to conceal herself beneath a kitchen unit. The supporting cast are equally good: I particularly liked Clark Gregg's Leonato, concealing a passionate nature beneath a cloak of respectability, and Jillian Morgese's Hero, a well-brought up girl wrongfully accused of adultery. Shot in atmospheric black-and-white in a country house over a period of sixteen days, the film makes wonderful use of light and shade. The verse-speaking is clear and lucid, and the story abundantly clear. I really admired this film; definitely worth a second look.